UW-Green Bay hosts Human Trafficking Conference to share information and create awareness
Green Bay, Wis.—UW-Green Bay will host a virtual Human Trafficking Conference on Thursday, January 12, 2023 to create awareness of human trafficking, to foster multidisciplinary cooperation and to better support victims.
Human trafficking is a problem affecting every county in Wisconsin, but it is often a hidden problem. Many cases are underreported. The intention for the conference is to bring the problem out into the light, so that we can better understand it and work together to stop the manipulation of our most vulnerable populations.
“There are too many myths around human trafficking,” says Adam Nagel, a Lieutenant with Appleton Police Department. “It’s happening here in Wisconsin, and we need to learn more about how it happens and how victims are coerced in order to stop it from happening. We need to work together to stop the exploitation of women, men and children for sex or labor.”
The agenda for the conference starts at 8 a.m. and continues until 3 p.m. and includes experts in healthcare, public policy, criminal justice, counseling and law – disciplines that intersect with the issue of human trafficking.
Topics include:
Child Sex Trafficking: Prevalence and Identification – Child sex trafficking is a global public health problem. The prevalence of human trafficking generally is poorly identified due to its secretive and illegal nature. Many cases of sex trafficking occur locally, and yet trafficking identification evades detection due to lack of awareness of the scope of the problem and limited use of validated screening tools. In this discussion, we will review human and child sex trafficking statistics, barriers to identification, current validated screening tools for child sex trafficking, and how to report concerns in the state of Wisconsin.
Resilient Wisconsin: Helping the Helpers – Resilient Wisconsin is a Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) initiative focused on helping the helpers, while addressing the root causes of trauma and prioritizing the upstream prevention of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). This presentation will provide an overview of toxic stress, trauma, ACEs, and the role of public health in preventing human trafficking. We will also explore how secondary and vicarious trauma impact professionals and discuss strategies to build individual and community resilience.
Law Enforcement Collaboration in Human Trafficking Investigations – A multidisciplinary team is needed for a successful human trafficking investigation. This session will discuss how to successfully work with law enforcement to get the best outcomes for victims.
Supporting the Legal Needs of Human Trafficking Survivors: An Overview – Victims of human trafficking often face myriad legal issues resulting from their exploitation. This session, presented by attorneys from Milwaukee-based LOTUS Legal Clinic, Inc., will provide an overview of the legal needs of human trafficking survivors and strategies for supporting survivors in their pursuit of justice and healing.
The Journey – Deeper dive into the reasons why victims get in and stay in, and how survivor’s get out and stay out.
For licensed professionals, attendance at all five sessions of the conference earns continuing education credit. The conference is now open for registration. Learn more by visiting the website or by contacting Melissa Betke, Program Specialist, at 920-663-7337 or betkem@uwgb.edu
About UW-Green Bay
Established in 1965, UW-Green Bay is a public institution serving more than 9,600 undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral students and 95,000 continuing education learners each year. We educate students from pre- college through retirement and offer 200+ degrees, programs and certificates. UW-Green Bay graduates are resilient, inclusive, sustaining and engaged members of their communities, ready to rise to fearlessly face challenges, solve problems and embrace diverse ideas and people. With four campus locations, the University welcomes students from every corner of the world. In 2021, UW-Green Bay was the fastest-growing UW school in Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.uwgb.edu.
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